Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a method for producing artificial rocks, specifically from expended plastic containers and expended metal cans.
Prior Art
One of the serious problems confronting society today is the generation of waste. Millions of thermoplastic and metal containers are produced each year, used once, and thrown away. Landfilling is the primary method of waste disposal, but it appears that landfills throughout the world are rapidly filling up. Discarded plastic and metal containers are non-biodegradable, and so add to the landfill and environmental problem, as they fill up an ever decreasing landfill space.
The present invention enables the conversion of such used containers into articles of renewed utility and thus enables an economically sound solution to the problem of waste disposal while at the same time providing a valued new product, specifically an economical, artificial rock.
When these rocks are installed on a substrate and mortar is put between them, they look like real rocks, with differing elevation out from the substrate, and different shades, shapes, textures and sizes. This is completely different from mold formed, uniform rocks that look like they came from a cookie cutter. The artificial rocks can also be used as stand-alone rocks for gardens, lawns, yards, and many other uses where artificial rocks are desired. In addition, the artificial rocks produced by this invention can be filled with non-organic trash, such as empty plastic bottles and empty cans, thus further helping to alleviate the waste disposal, environmental problem.
Prior art discloses various attempts to recycle used materials and to make artificial rocks from various materials, including concrete, plastic, steel, and aluminum, but many of the rocks produced by these methods look like they come from a cookie cutter. Also, usually they require bonding agents and molds in their process.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,115,178 B1 (2006), to Schofield, (the present inventor), proposes a process to convert empty, plastic bottles into artificial rocks by using heat to make the bottle malleable, and actual rocks to shape the bottles into rock like shapes. The process further requires a bonding agent to bond the texturing cement to the rock shaped, plastic bottle. The present invention does not require actual rocks to achieve the different rock shapes and does not need a bonding agent or a special machine, and it provides even more recycling possibilities, because the empty, plastic bottle or aluminum or other metal can, can be used in the invention if filled with empty, compacted, plastic bottles or empty used cans.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,617 (1987), to Sykes proposes converting two-liter soda bottles into building blocks. This produces a cookie cutter effect, as all the objects are the same size and shape. This process only uses, and so is limited to, soda bottles. Also, this process would not be suitable for producing artificial rocks, which would need to be of different shapes and sizes to appear real.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,196 (1996), to Samuelson proposes to recycle a plastic, soda bottle into a container for articles, by means of cuts and flaps. Though this addresses recycling of the plastic bottle without melting or crushing, it does not convert the bottle into a rock as per the invention of this application.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,175 (1991), to Kirkpatrick proposes to use expended, plastic, beverage bottles to form cushions, which, which could be used for various purposes. It addresses recycling, but not artificial rocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,826 (1977), to Hum proposes a lightweight, cement rock colored with cement dyes or pigments. This uses a mold which must be made first. The present invention uses the empty, plastic container or cylindrical can as the mold. Also, the Hum invention does not address recycling.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,820 (2000), to Callahan shows a rock made of cement and polystyrene poured into a mold. Again, a mold must be prepared first. The polystyrene used is a waste product, but comprises only a small portion of the rock, so the rock materials are not primarily recycled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,328 (1989), to Neighbors proposes making a decorative item from an aluminum can by means of grooves and pressing. Again, though this addresses using the can itself for the decorative article, it does not convert the can into a rock, as does the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,746,869 (1930), to Rosenthal proposes making sheet metal flowerpots from cylindrical tin-plate cans by means of crimping and deforming the can. This does address recycling the cans, but it converts the can to a flowerpot, and not a rock, as does the present invention.
The present inventor could find no reference in the prior art where holes put into a mold or object were used as a means to anchor the stucco or cement to the surface of the object, thus eliminating the need for a bonding agent.